Local sports stories

Welcome to the Sunday Chronicle top local sports. The back page of the newspaper this week highlights rugby star Menzie Yere still in town.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Four nations rugby league challenge set

Tok Mix Dogs against Lealea tussle in the Masta Mark Easter Cup challenge in Port Moresby. The competition involves teams from NCD off-season leagues and Central province. The teams are playing for K25,000 prizemoney sponsored by Masta Mark principal Kelly Aiyok and is being held at Hohola and Kone Tigers fields. The competition Started on Tues last week and will end tomorrow. Picture by JOSEPH IVAHARIA.

THE draws for the 2010 Four Nations rugby league challenge has been announced. England will face co-hosts New Zealand at Wellington's Westpac Stadium in the opening match of the tournament while Papua New Guinea will play Australia at Parramatta Stadium, Australia.

The seven-match event in Australia and New Zealand starts on Oct 23, with the final in Brisbane on Nov 13.
Melbourne stages the Australia-England clash on Oct 31 and England play Papua New Guinea in Auckland.

That match takes place at a new-look 50,000-capacity Eden Park on Nov 6 and is part of a double-header as holders Australia play New Zealand. There are also games in Rotorua and Parramatta.

The inaugural tournament in 2009 culminated in Australia beating England 46-16 at Elland Road.
And Australia Rugby League chairman Colin Love said he was confident the 2010 edition would prove as popular, adding: "The first Four Nations series was an overwhelming success at every level.

"The excitement among English crowds and international television audiences again demonstrated the tremendous appetite that exists for international rugby league.

"The rivalry between Australia, New Zealand and England couldn't be more intense and PNG have proven time and again that they can mix it with anyone on the day.

"This is going to be a fabulous contest that will bring together the best players in the game over three incredible weeks of matches."

Organisers are hoping to set a new crowd record at Eden Park, which has been re-developed to host the 2011 Rugby World Cup, topping the 47,363 for the 1988 World Cup final.

"This double-header will be the biggest rugby league event in New Zealand since 1988 and could become the biggest of all time," said New Zealand Rugby League chief executive Jim Doyle.

"It will be a tremendous moment for the game to have rugby league's major powers all playing at the same ground on the same day.

"It's also a huge honour for our game that we'll actually be giving the new-look Eden Park one of its first major attractions."

I agree that rugby gamesare one of the most interesting games today. Actually, the number of youth getting interested to join rugby league clubs is increasing. Even young girls want to be part of the rugby sports team. It is good to hear that many young boys and girls are so into sports today, because the risks of their being involved in alcohol, smoking, and drugs become less.

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Sunday Chronicle is a weekly Newspaper in Papua New Guinea that aims to bring nothing but development news and a variety of features ranging from commentaries, features to sports news. It is a locally owned newspaper with headquarter based in Port Moresby.
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